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Urban Design Workshop Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning

2007

Evolution of an Academic Village: Vision for Inner Evolution of an Academic Village: Vision for Inner

South Portland South Portland

Scott Beattie Portland State University

Manzell Blakeley Portland State University

Allen Davis Portland State University

Malia Kalahele Portland State University

Alexander Moore Portland State University

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Citation Details Citation Details Beattie, Scott; Blakeley, Manzell; Davis, Allen; Kalahele, Malia; Moore, Alexander; Pina, Michael; Rousculp, Thomas; Rousse, Sky; Gardiner, Sierra; Ofcacek, Nick; Eshel, Oren; Kaur, Harleen; Williams, Kenya; and Erickson, Rey, "Evolution of an Academic Village: Vision for Inner South Portland" (2007). Urban Design Workshop. 4. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/usp_urbandesign/4

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Authors Authors Scott Beattie, Manzell Blakeley, Allen Davis, Malia Kalahele, Alexander Moore, Michael Pina, Thomas Rousculp, Sky Rousse, Sierra Gardiner, Nick Ofcacek, Oren Eshel, Harleen Kaur, Kenya Williams, and Rey Erickson

This report is available at PDXScholar: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/usp_urbandesign/4

Bibliography

Plans:

University District Coalition Vision Report (Draft) – 2005. (Portland State University)

Creating Livable Streets: Street Design Guidelines for 2040 – 2002. (Metro)

South Waterfront Plan – 2002. (City of Portland)

South Portland Circulation Study – 2001. (City of Portland)

Bridge the Divide and Cap I-405 – 2000. (American Society of Landscape Architects)

North Macadam District Framework Plan – 1999. (Portland Development Commission)

I-405/I-5 Loop Study – 1998. (City of Portland & ODOT)

Central City Plan – 1988. (City of Portland)

Corbett, Terwilliger, and Lair Hill Policy Plan – 1977. (City of Portland)

Other References:

Grizzard, F. E., 1996. Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University of Virginia, 1817–1828: Genesis of the

Academical Village. Corcoran Department of History, University of Virginia.

Photo Credits:

Image of Hooverville: Rothstein, Arthur, 1915- photographer.

America from the Great Depression to World War II: Black-and-White Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945.

Image of Tram: www.travelportland.com

Image of South Waterfront: www.oregonlive.com

Thank you to:

Lisa Abouf – PDC - University District and OHSU Planning

Robert Hastings - Tri-Met

Ethan Seltzer – Director - Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning

David Siegel - Past National President of American Planning Association (APA)

Don Stastny - Workshop Leader

Ed Starkie - Workshop Leader

EVOLUTION OF AN

ACADEMIC VILLAGE

Vision for Inner

South Portland2007 Urban Design Workshop

Portland State University

background and introduction 2

sense of place 3

principles 4

framework 5

details 7

development plan 10

Scott Beattie

Manzell Blakeley

Allen Davis

Malia Kalahele

Alexander Moore

Michael Pina

Thomas Rousculp

Sky Rousse

Sierra Gardiner

Nick Ofcacek

Oren Eshel

Harleen Kaur

Kenya Williams

Rey Erickson

Don Stastny

Ed Starkie

table of contents

1 10

Vacant Land

Building:Land Value

less than 1:1

Recaptured

OHSU & South Wa-

terfront (not included in study)

The Academic Village plan establishes the vision for the

emerging education center. The plan calls for a vibrant, sus-

tainable mix of commercial and institutional projects, housing,

and public amenities. Guiding principles focus on sustainable,

walkable communities and high-density transit oriented devel-

opment with 24 hour activity. Key goals of the plan are:

Economic Development 9,700 jobs in 3.4 million sf of commercial/

offi ce space

1,500 jobs in 511,000 sf of mixed use

retail service

Housing 12,000 housing units, including 3,000 af-

fordable housing units

140 acres

148 acres

10 acres

Parks & Open Space creation of 10 acres of park & open

space by capping I-405

Activation of Barbur Blvd/Duniway Plaza areas including streetscape im-

provements & mixed use retail/institutional; University Place mixed-use

redevelopment with ground fl oor grocery/multi-story residential; Activation of

underused properties in the Fountain District and Naito Blvd improvements;

rerouting of Ross Island bridgehead

ross

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6)

•Two sections of I-405 to be “capped”,

facilitating key north-south fl ows.

1. 1st/Naito Cap or “Green Cap”

Act as central open space for

surrounding mixed-use develop-

ment.

Transit-oriented (located along

suggested Orange Line route)

Excellent views of Mt. Hood to

be emphasized

Softscape: grassy, meadow like

surface

2. 5th/6th Cap or “Promontory Plaza”

Located at southern terminus of

Downtown Transit Mall

Facilitate PSU extension south to

north Barbur area

Hardscape, plaza like landscap-

ing

•Vital link from International School and Village Center

to South Waterfront.

•Potential for ecological urban design: storm water

swales as sidewalk buffer, pervious surfaces, and

waterfall features.

•Enormousness of freeway underpasses should be

embraced in design considerations.

•Adequate lighting as essential for safety and

place making.

MISSION

This vision of an Academic Village is a culmination of three months

of work by 12 students in the Spring 2007 Urban Design Workshop

at Portland State University. Our understanding of the Academ-

ic Village arose out of an exploration of connections between

neighboring academic institutions – Portland State University, Or-

egon Health and Sciences University on Marquam Hill, and OHSU’s

emerging campus on the South Waterfront – and the Corbett and

Lair Hill neighborhoods. We discovered that people from these

institutions and communities live, work, study, and play in a shared

urban space, but that the potential for creating an Academic Vil-

lage is bounded by the history and physical characteristics of that

urban space.

We would like to illustrate how an Academic Village can be a ma-

jor asset to the city of Portland and its residents. By combining the

resources and ideals of our academic institutions with the vitality

of our urban and community institutions, our vision seeks to bring

our academic and community nodes closer together at many

different levels. By highlighting how barriers to interaction and

connectivity can be overcome, we hope to pave the way for an

Academic Village that will embody sustainable ideals, contribute

to the economic health of our region, and foster a deeper “sense

of place.”

details introduction

2

•Extend Lincoln east to

Naito, extend Sherman

west to Naito. Create

East/West pedestrian

pathways between 1st

and Naito, and to Inter-

national School Blocks.

Provide much needed

sidewalk and safe cross-

walks along Naito.

•Potential MAX Orange

Line route = activation

through transit-orienta-

tion.

•Encourage mixed-

use development with

storefronts on Naito,

with underground park-

ing on Water St., where

asphalt should be re-

moved to reveal cob-

blestone.

MA

X o

ran

ge

line

(3)

•Currently considered Locally Preferred Alterna-

tive would be a missed opportunity. Orange Line

should run south to Kelly Blvd before crossing the

Willamette River, providing light rail access to the

business district just south of I-405, the South Port-

land neighborhood and proposed Village Center.

•Construction of new multi-modal Porter-Division

Bridge would provide MAX access to upcoming

OHSU Schnitzer campus in the South Waterfront

District and alleviate vehicular traffi c pressure on

the Ross Island Bridge.

•Possible west-side stops: PSU, Lincoln/

Naito area, Kelly Blvd, and South Water-

front.

•Would serve to connect East Side resi-

dents to the Academic Village.

grid

exte

nsio

ns n

orth

of 4

05

(4)

•Embrace academic character offered by

the International School.

•Common greenspace with Streetcar access

at Harrison/Naito “triangle”.

SoWa

The South Waterfront functioned as a major port for the Northwest for over a

hundred years. The Zidell family operates the remaining active shipyard in the

area. A short-lived Hooverville and stevedores looking for a place to crash for

the night had been the most recent residential activity. Today the South Water-

front, known as SoWa, is anticipating an estimated 10,000 residential units, many

in high-rise condos, and 3,000 jobs. The plan for the district seeks to encourage

a mix of uses and a highly urban character. The Tram connects to OHSU’s Mar-

quam Hill campus and the Portland Streetcar connects to downtown. There

are plans for a pedestrian bridge across I-5 and an extension of the Willamette

Greenway.

OHSU

Oregon Health and Science University, on Marquam Hill, is Oregon’s largest

medical school, known for its focus on research and technology. Formed in Port-

land in 1974, OHSU is an important employment base for the region. The Tram

came about in an attempt to provide easier and faster access to the hospital,

for employees, students, and patients. OHSU hopes to foster biotech industry in

the South Waterfront and plans to develop a new campus on land donated by

the Schnitzer family.

PSU

Portland State University is considered an urban university; until recently it was

primarily a commuter campus and many students work while attending classes.

It has the highest enrollment and offers more graduate programs than any other

school in the state.

PSU has a program for pre-med and nursing students, who often go on to attend

OHSU. The school at one point made a decision not to expand south of I-405,

however a record enrollment and interest in the university has it searching for

new buildings and student resources, including affordable student housing.

Lair Hill, Corbett and Terwilliger Neighborhoods

The Lair Hill, Corbett, and Terwilliger neighborhoods are tight-knit communities

centrally located between OHSU, PSU, the South Waterfront and Johns Land-

ing. The South Portland Historic District protects parts of Lair Hill and Corbett. An

urban renewal project demolished part of the historically Italian, Irish, and Jewish

immigrant Lair Hill neighborhood in the 1950s. The Corbett and Lair Hill Neighbor-

hoods are divided by busy Naito Blvd and cut off from the river by I-5. In opposi-

tion to the Aerial Tram, some neighbors pegged signs in their yards reading, “No

Aerial Tram!” These neighborhoods have a rich history, thriving communities, and

a numerous cultural assets.

detailssense of place

83

7

na

ito

blv

d a

nd

vill

ag

e c

en

ter(

1)

•Renovation and relocation of Ross Island

bridgehead could add up to 6 new devel-

opable blocks, ideal for a transit-oriented

Village Center, and would remove heavy ve-

hicular traffi c currently plaguing the Corbett

neighborhood.

•Transition of Naito Parkway to a Community

Boulevard. Tree-lined medians and sidewalk

buffers, re-connection of the historic grid,

and creation of a pedestrian realm.

•Revitalization of currently undervalued dis-

trict; consistent urban fabric connecting and

re-uniting surrounding neighborhoods.

ba

rbu

r b

lvd

imp

rov

em

en

ts (

2)

•“Easy fi xes” in pedestrian connectivity and place-making:

addition of sidewalks, tree-lined median in place of un-

necessarily long turn lane, textured cross walks and signals.

Resulting in connections to Lair Hill, Duniway Plaza, and

Portland State University.

•Encourage medium density, mixed-use development with

street-level commercial activity. Development should take

advantage of eastern views.

•Potential redevelopment of YMCA site, extension of grid

in place of track.

•Make connections to Marquam Hill Trails network safe,

accessible, and apparent to the community, encouraging

use for recreational and physical fi tness activities.

The workshop identifi ed the following key principles

as the framework for its vision:

•The Academic Village should evolve as a distinct

and unique place, with connections between it and

adjacent neighborhoods, thereby promoting physi-

cal, social and functional integration.

•Facilitates active learning for people of all ages.

•Linkages between and within various neighbor-

hoods that make up the Academic Village.

•Safe, well-lit bicycle and pedestrian connections to

enhance and improve connectivity and safety.

•Innovative buildings that are environmentally sus-

tainable.

•The river, trails, streets and the other open spaces

throughout the Academic Village should be con-

sidered as a complete open space system in which

individual parts unite to contribute as a whole.

•Enhances the economic viability of the region by

building upon existing assets.

•Encourage an environment with a mix of uses so as

to invite activity throughout the day.

an academic village:

a confl uence of academic institutions knitted

together through supporting and comple-

mentary neighborhoods with a strong sense of

connectivity: social, functional, economic and

cultural.

Initially, the Urban Design Workshop focused on

various relationships among three key academ-

ic campuses: PSU, OHSU, and South Waterfront.

Upon further examination, we began to see

unique potential of a continuous, sensible urban

fabric between these primary nodes. The vision

was thus expanded to involve additional un-

bound academic assets, for example the North-

west College of Natural Medicine, the area’s

existing vibrant communities, and a street net-

work that facilitates walking, cycling, and transit

ridership.

“Consider the common plan followed in this country, but not in others, of making one large and expensive building, as unfortunately

erroneous. It is infi nitely better to erect a small and separate lodge for each separate professorship…joining these lodges by barracks

for a certain portion of the students, opening into a covered way to give a dry communication between all the schools. The whole

of these arranged around an open square of grass and trees, would make it, what it should be in fact, an academical village...”

- Thomas Jefferson

details principles

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NAITO

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NAITO

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BROADWAY

CORBETT

ROSS ISLAND

BRIDGE

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[500 0 500250 Feet

WillametteRiver

Portland StateUniversity

OHSUMarquam

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SouthWaterfront

Riverplace

SchnitzerCampus

Zone A: Fountain District and International School. I-405 and

Naito Parkway create barriers for pedestrian passage between

activity nodes.

FOUNTAIN DISTRICT

Emphasize cultural/historical monuments – Keller Fountain, Pet-

tygrove Park, and Lovejoy Fountain.

Redeveloped mixed-use areas around Lovejoy Fountain would

generate activity from students and the community.

Gateways and signage would distinguish entry points into the

fountain district. Improved landscaping and lighting would en-

courage use after business hours.

Extend east-west pedestrian paths across 1st and Naito towards

Riverplace, the International School, and the Willamette River.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

The International School fi ts within a broad concept of an aca-

demic village. It attracts people from diverse backgrounds, fi ts

into PSU’s international emphasis, and attracts families to down-

town and the South Waterfront.

Underutilized green space between the International School,

Naito Parkway, and the streetcar can provide needed open

and recreational space.

A cap across I-405 between 1st and Naito would create pe-

destrian connectivity, provide a connection to South Portland

neighborhoods, and mark an entrance to downtown.

Zone B: PSU/Duniway. PSU is evolving from a commuter to a

residential campus and I-405 divides the historic Duniway neigh-

borhood from the central city.

Affordable housing and community-oriented retail south of the

PSU campus would serve students and others.

A cap across I-405 at 5th/6th Ave would improve pedestrian

connectivity and create an entrance to the PSU campus and

downtown.

East-west green streets would connect the pedestrian paths

of the Park Blocks to those of the Fountain District and provide

access to the river.

A bike path along I-405 and the proposed caps would estab-

lish a continuous path connecting PSU, the neighborhoods,

and the river.

Improved pedestrian connectivity between the Park Blocks,

Terwilliger and Marquam trail systems, and Duniway Park

would weave these natural areas into the urban fabric.

Zone C: Historic South Portland neighborhoods. I-5, Naito Pkwy,

and Barbur Blvd. divide the neighborhoods, provide inadequate

pedestrian crossings, and impede access to the central city and

the waterfront.

Reintegrate the community with the rapidly changing central

city: manage the way change affects the historic neighbor-

hood, respect the past with a view to the future.

Provide multiple connections from the neighborhood to the

river, starting with the planned pedestrian bridge across I-5 at

Gibbs St.

Move regional traffi c off of neighborhood streets, using previous stud-

ies as a starting point: provide direct arterial and freeway connec-

tions to the Ross Island bridge.

Create a “village center” around existing neighborhood institutions,

providing a space for residents of the historic and evolving neighbor-

hoods to come together, with Corbett as a “Main Street.”

Dynamic lines of movement with active edges: traffi c calming,

pedestrian crossings, and mixed uses on Naito Parkway and

Barbur Blvd will provide a more human scale. Using streets not

to travel “through” but for traveling “to” the academic village.

A transit hub on the Kelly diagonal can provide a regional con-

nection point, bringing together buses and possible future light

rail to Milwaukie.

framework

5 6